


Lingering Scars (Rewrite)

by Szaroburekotki



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Blood, Death, Emotional torment, Flower Crowns, Flowey being a goddamn asshole, Fluff, Frisk has PTSD, Gen, Genderless Frisk, More Death, Platonic Relationships, Scarfell AU, Swearing, Toriel hearing voices
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-10
Updated: 2018-07-02
Packaged: 2018-11-30 13:07:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11464230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Szaroburekotki/pseuds/Szaroburekotki
Summary: Frisk, tired of all the pain and suffering they'd faced on the surface, decided they'd had enough. After hearing all the rumors about the legendary monsters locked away in Mount Ebott, Frisk jumped.Hoping for another chance at a better life, they woke up in the Ruins, alone and hurt from the fall. Along the way into the Ruins, they meet Flowey, who joins them in their journey through the Underground. However, whatever fantasy they imagined of the powerful and amazing monsters from the rumors they'd heard all their life was quickly erased as they became immersed in the twisted, cruel world of the Underground.Frisk, facing against the monsters of the Underground and the dark memories that haunted them at every step of the way, must find a way to survive. The question is: Will they make it to the surface? Or will they die as the final and seventh soul needed to break the barrier once and for all?





	1. The Ruins

**Author's Note:**

> Finally! I've finished the first chapter of the rewrite!
> 
> Thanks for being so patient with me.  
> A heads up for future chapters, they will take between 2-3 weeks to update (approximately).
> 
> Also, please leave a comment and let me know how I did! :)

With a sharp gasp and a jerk, Frisk awoke with a start, shooting upright into a sitting position. Quick, ragged breaths escaped their lips. Their heart beat against their ribs. Hard. Cold sweat trickled down their neck. Their eyes darted all over themselves. Their arms. Their hands. Their chest. Their stomach. They lifted their sweater.

There was nothing there. No burned flesh. No blood. No flames. No pain. Nothing.

H-how...?

They  _ swore _ Toriel had killed them. They  _ felt _ her fireball burning through them as they tried to escape the Ruins. It was all  _ real _ . Or... or,  _ was _ it?

They couldn’t tell anymore. It felt like they were actually there. That it actually happened and... and yet, it all seemed to be like a dream. They weren’t hurt, nor were they at Toriel’s house, so could it have been nothing more than a nightmare?

Frisk glanced around, trying to situate themselves. To their surprise, they were at the entrance of the Ruins. This... this was strange for them. The last thing they remembered was touching the door leading out of the Ruins before Toriel’s fireball killed them, so they couldn't figure out why they were  _ here _ instead. They did, however, remember touching a golden star the last time they were here... or was that a dream, too?

They didn’t know what to make out of all of this. First, they were walking through the Ruins, solving puzzles left and right. Then, they were with Toriel, eating pie and biding their time until they could finally ask her about what was bothering Toriel so much. She had been troubled at the time and they couldn’t figure out why, not even when they questioned her about it. She only brushed them off and offered them more pie. They remembered feeling annoyed at the aversion of their reasonable inquiry.

Not long after that, they asked her if they could leave the Ruins. They had been all over the place last time and had seen the door in the lower levels during one of their numerous wanderings. Immediately, Toriel had refused. They knew she only wanted to protect them from the dangers beyond the Ruin doors, but their curiosity only strengthened with her denial. Eventually, they decided to make a run for it. And that was when they were killed. Quite brutally, too.

With a heavy sigh, they knew they had to keep moving. It was no use staying in one place and mulling over these things. Besides, they’d grow hungry soon enough and they didn’t want to stumble through the Ruins with an empty stomach. So, they got up to leave.

But something made them pause.

A sharp, burning pain across the left side of their neck made itself known. Out of instinct, their fingertips brushed over it, only for them to pull away sharply with a hiss as the pain doubled, their body curling into itself in retaliation. What  _ was  _ that?

To their relief, the agony faded into a dull ache after a few moments. Before they could decide whether or not to touch it again, a soft sound and sudden movement interrupted their mental dispute.

The ground near their feet broke apart and a familiar golden flower appeared. He brushed off some of the dirt from his green leaves and shook off the earth from his head, the pieces of rock scattering across the ground from the quick movement.

“Flowey?” they called to the small plant, their voice soft and uncertain. They remembered the flower. Remembered walking through the Ruins with him as their guide. However... they didn’t know if Flowey knew anything about the strange dream and their premonitions of the Ruins or,  _ if _ it actually happened, remembered anything of it.

“Hey, Frisk,” the monster replied, a weak smile on his lips.

He remembered them. That’s good, they reassured themselves. That’s very good.

But... He seemed troubled by something, much like Toriel had been. To anyone else, it would’ve appeared as nervousness but, to the trained eyes of Frisk, his dark gaze told them something was wrong. Something he wanted to talk about, but was hesitant to do so. What held him back, they didn’t know.

“Are you okay?” they inquired, a concerned frown marring their features. They knelt down and offered their hands to him.

“I’m fine,” he snapped as he wrapped his vines around the human’s wrists and forearms, trying not to look the human in the eye. His reticent behavior did not go unnoticed by Frisk.

Without a word, the human lifted him up so that they could get a better look at him, scrutinizing his masked expression. Flowey, fearing that Frisk would find something they weren’t supposed to know, forced a small smile onto his lips and prayed his façade wouldn’t fail him. The human searched his face for any telltale signs of nervousness and descried slight, anxious shifts in the flower’s stance, feeling him alter his weight from one of their hands to the other, his vines tightening and loosening surreptitiously. It wasn’t enough to be completely obvious, but it was enough for Frisk to determine his words as a blatant lie.

However, they found nothing in his expression suggesting any willingness to open up about it, so they let it be, even though they knew better than to let such things remain unaddressed. Maybe they’ll bring it up later, at a better point in time.

Frisk moved Flowey to their shoulder and calmly walked through the doorway into the Ruins, only to be met with a simple, yet oddly familiar, puzzle with six buttons on the floor that needed to be pressed in the right order to open the door before them. There, near the door, stood Toriel. Her black and crimson robes matched the crimson and murky-brown hues of the Ruins, her tall form looming over the nervous human. Did she remember them like Flowey had remembered them?

“Do not be afraid, my child. I will not hurt you,” she said, her face calm, yet her eyes gleaming with hidden lunacy and... hope? “I am Toriel, caretaker of the Ruins.” She didn’t remember them. But... why was she saying those same lines again? Why was she repeating the same things they had heard in that weird... dream... whatever it was? “I pass through this place every day to see if anyone has fallen down. You are the first human to come down here in a long time. Come! I will guide you through the catacombs.”

Although her words were sincere, Frisk knew that she would eventually turn on them once they threatened to leave. Seeing as Toriel said the same exact things she had in their dream, they knew that it was only a matter of time before they’d ask to leave. Otherwise, they’d be stuck in the Ruins forever, until they gained enough courage to ask again. And they didn’t want to stay here any longer than they had to. It was torture enough to deal with the aggressive inhabitants of the Ruins.

The human followed Toriel as she helped them through the puzzles. All the while, flashbacks from their memories reminded them of each puzzle and how to solve them. Despite their recollection of the previous encounters with Toriel and the puzzles being helpful, they were just as equally irritating. Not only did they randomly pause during Toriel’s long excursion through the Ruins, but they reached out into thin air on more than one occasion, believing the switches to be right in front of them. Instead, they quickly realized they had acted upon a flashback that happened nowhere near the intended target. More often than not, they heard Flowey hissing the same questions into their ear: “What the  _ hell _ are you  _ doing _ ?” or “What are you even reaching for? There’s nothing there, you idiot!”

After what seemed to be the hundredth time such a thing had happened, Frisk huffed in exasperation and sat down against the base of a nearby pillar. Toriel had left them to their own devices a while ago and, although they were told to stay in place while she went to “take care of something,” they decided to disregard her rule and continue on their own, which brought them to where they were now.

As they rested, their mind wandered back to the dream─which they were beginning to suspect wasn’t a dream after all. Was it coincidence that  _ all  _ the monsters they met─even Toriel─said the same things as the ones in their odd vision? Was it all just in their head? Were these flashbacks? Or was it only déjà-vu?

Frisk groaned and buried their face in their hands, aggravated with the swirling thoughts in their head. They were losing their grip on reality. The memories were blending in with the present and they didn’t know what to do about it. It was affecting their performance in a battle, making them lose their focus and get hurt as a result, and messing with their ability to navigate through the Ruins, showing them things that weren’t even there in the first place. It infuriated them more than they could describe. So much so, that they nearly shed tears of frustration.

“Why are you crying?” Flowey inquired a bit rudely, lips pursed together. He didn’t seem to enjoy the idea of being around someone who cried a lot.

The human wiped away all traces of arising tears and huffed, coming to a final conclusion. They gathered up their Determination, deciding that they weren’t going to let these visions get the best of them. They had someone to meet further into the Ruins and they couldn’t disappoint Toriel by leaving her all alone like this─even if she were the one to abandon them halfway through the Ruins.

“N-nothing,” they told him, offering up a bright smile to hide their sorrows. “But, uh... thanks for staying with me.”

Having not expected being thanked for something, the flower stared at them before stumbling over his words. “I─you─um─wha─uh... Y-yeah. You’re welcome.”

Frisk snickered at the monster’s shattered composure, amused by Flowey’s attempt to formulate a proper response.

“Don’t laugh at me!” the flower pouted, flushed with embarrassment. “You just surprised me... that’s all.”

Frisk giggled. “Not used to being thanked, are you?”

“No! I mean─well─I... Yeah... I’m not.” He bowed his head, defeated. Then, shot up straight again. “But that doesn’t mean anything, got it?” His defensiveness made them laugh again.

“Okay, okay,  _ tsundere _ . No need to get so worked up about it.”

“Tsu─what?” He stared at them blankly.

How had he never heard of such a term?  _ Everybody _ knows what a tsundere is! Instead of calling Flowey out on his cluelessness, Frisk decided to elaborate, “Tsundere. Someone who doesn’t like admitting their emotions about something or someone.”

“I’m not a tsu─tsuda?─tsunde?─whatever-you-call-it!” He snaps back, miffed by the title, even though he knew it to be true... not that he’d admit such a thing.

“Yes, you are,” Frisk prodded, the corner of their lips lifting into a smile. “And you know it.” Their grin widened a little more.

“Just shut up!” Flowey crossed his leaves over his stem in a similar manner of crossing one’s arms over one’s own chest. His face was crimson with embarrassment and irritation. Although his tone was harsh and loud, Frisk knew he meant no harm.

They chuckled and decided to put off the teasing... for now.

“C’mon, Flowey. We’ve got somewhere to be.” They offered him a smile, even if their nerves were on high alert. If this was anything like that dream─or memories─or whatever it was... they were going to die. The very prospect of them dying shook them to the core, their legs threatening to buckle at every step they took. At every stride that brought them closer to Toriel... or, where Toriel’s house was. They didn’t even know if she was home at this point. She could be anywhere. Watching them from afar. Waiting for the right moment to strike. And what would be there to stop her from committing such an act? What was there to protect Frisk from the reality of their situation? To keep them from dying?

Nothing. No one but a small flower that couldn’t even save himself from the brutality of the Underground. They were helpless... and all alone.

They fought off their arising unease and stepped into an eerily familiar hallway. They involuntarily shiver, the emptiness of the place and the déjà-vu they felt chilling them to the bone. Shouldn’t there be more life in the Ruins? Or had they all killed each other, just like they had tried with Frisk?

They shook off the thought and entered a large room. Images flashed before their eyes. A tall, dark tree, gnarled from age and as black as soot, standing in the center of a well-worn path. Toriel, appearing from behind the tree, her feet crunching through the withering leaves. The ever-present gleam of paranoia and insanity behind her crimson irises. Her voice breaking through the silence...

“Oh dear, that took longer than I thought it would.”

They jumped in alarm when they realized Toriel was walking out from around the coal-black tree, her hands folded in front of her. Her voice shattered the flashbacks and forced them back into the present, the scene playing out as it had in their mind. The familiarity of it terrified them, wondering if the same thing would happen to them as it did in what little they remembered of the dream. And it scared them more than they were willing to admit.

“My child, what are you doing here?!” the monster demanded, her voice booming through the deathly-silent room. “I thought I told you to stay there until I got back!” Her fury caused the human to flinch, cowering away from her wrath.

For a brief moment, Frisk thought they saw her face twist into a wicked grin, her eyes reflecting the flames coating her palms. They took a tentative step back, terrified by the sight.

Just as quickly as the sight had appeared, it was replaced just as swiftly by the concerned visage of Toriel. Her eyes were cold yet her face suggested warmth and worry. There was no fire, no heat.

Their mind blanked. They didn’t know what just happened.

“What... the hell...?” they muttered under their breath.

Her smile turned apologetic, yet there was an unanswered question lingering at the edge of her lips. They could tell by the way she struggled to find the right words to say. “Forgive me, my child,” she finally spoke, now in a calmer tone. “I should not have yelled at you like that. I was simply fearing for your well-being. I... I am s-sorry.”

Something struck Frisk as odd. Toriel hesitated, stuttered even, when she apologized. She wasn’t used to apologizing, nor admitting her faults. Was it her pride that held her back? Or was it because of the conditions she’s lived in, isolated in an underground community full of blood-thirsty monsters? Was it her need to battle for power and control over the lesser monsters that prevented her from feeling remorse or regret anymore?

They relaxed slowly, using a warm grin to hide their bewilderment. “It’s okay,” they told her, beaming up at her. “You’re just like my mom when she gets frustrated. She didn’t mean to hurt me. She just... wanted to keep me safe.”

Upon their words, Toriel froze up. Her body stiffened, her eyes staring into nothing as thoughts began to occupy her focus on the present. She stood there silently, painfully oblivious to the world around her. Her mind was in a far away place.

Frisk had seen that look before, when their mother refused to take those strange white pills that the doctor told her to take every day. She was always lost in thought after that, her ears deaf to Frisk’s questioning calls. They shivered at the memory, hating every moment of it. They hoped Toriel wouldn’t turn out the same way as their mother had.

“T-Toriel?” they asked hesitantly, their voice soft at first, as if afraid of frightening the tall monster. Then, louder, “Toriel?”

No response. Not even a twitch.

Panic fluttered in their heart. Their breath hitched. Had they done something wrong?

“T-Toriel?!” they squeaked out, the name spoken an octave higher than they’d liked.

“Frisk, calm down!” Flowey whispered harshly. “Toriel’s fine!”

“But─”

“She’s. Fine,” the flower cut in, emphasizing his words. “Stop worrying so much. You’re starting to sound like one of those cry-baby whimsuns.”

Frisk let out a choked laugh, his words catching them by surprise. “I’m not a ‘cry-baby’,” they defended themselves weakly. It was a weak insult and they knew it. Only smaller children would slander each other with such trivial indignities. As such, the statement humored them, suggesting to them that Flowey’s mindset was no more than that of a seven or eight year old.

They only heard a scoff in response.

Their attention turned back to Toriel, who hadn’t reacted in the least to their little squabble. This brought up a great deal of concern. Had their words affected her more than they thought?

They coughed a little, clearing their throat and tried again, their voice a little stronger now. “Toriel...?”

No answer.

They were about to call out again when they saw it.

The monster blinked. Once... Twice... Three times. Slowly, as if coming out of a trance.

She turned toward them, her crimson irises gleaming from the light streaming in through the cracks in the ceiling. The sunlight brought a newfound warmth in her eyes, the golden beams of light bringing out a fire in her eyes, one that captivated Frisk with wonder. The light was bright and warm. It was midday.

“Oh,” was all that left her lips for the moment. She shook her head, as if dispelling a thought. “My apologies, my child. It seems I was... lost in thought. Forgive me.”

They didn’t say anything. They already knew.

She wouldn’t tell them what bothered her, even if they asked. If anything, she’d do everything to avoid it and push it away, no matter how much it would linger over her conscience. It was just who she was. An overprotective goat monster who hated talking about her weaknesses, about her emotions. Just like every other monster here.

They weren’t blind. And they sure as hell weren’t ignorant.

They saw it, again and again and again. They saw it in every monster they’ve encountered. The froggits. The whimsuns. Loox. The vegetoids. The moldsmals. Hell, even Flowey! Those same, cold expressions that concealed the same anguish and frustrations every monster held. The hatred in their eyes mirrored the ones Frisk had faced aboveground, when they were still a part of the surface.

Now, they took out their anger on not only each other, but the humans that fell down here. The  _ children _ that ended up in this hellish world, twisted beyond recognition after decades of isolation and darkness. With nothing to hold on but the faint glimmer of hope that one day... one day they’d see the sun again and hear the waves crash onto the beach. Things that humans took for granted up above. Things that even the children began to miss during their time underground.

Though the rest of the monster population despised them, Toriel didn’t hate them, Frisk noticed. At least... not openly. Her eyes were soft, forgiving, despite the madness that lingered beneath. She didn’t harm them... unlike the other monsters. Instead, she tried to keep them, tried to relive the family she had lost. From what little Frisk remembered, she had lost two of her children to the humans and divorced her husband not long after the monsters had been locked down here by the barrier.

It must’ve been one hell of a stressor, breaking apart the family like that. It wasn’t pleasant, either, from what Frisk could tell. They only wondered if they could give Toriel some of that family back by staying with her and being nice to her. It wouldn’t be that bad, right? All they had to do was stay with her a little while and promise to visit from time to time. Then it would be okay... right...?

“Come, my child,” Toriel spoke, jolting them out of their musings, a gentle smile on her face. Her motherly disposition made her suffering all the more painful, which, in turn, ignited a powerful flame of sympathy and Determination in the human. They weren’t going to let her be alone anymore. Not if they could help it.

She offered her hand to them, her movements smooth, practiced. She had done this many times before, Frisk realized. She had done this to others. They weren’t her first, and they wouldn’t be her last. They knew that for sure.

They mirrored her grin and took her fur-coated hand. It was soft and warm.

Just like they remembered.

...wait. What?

_ Remembered? _

That’s right...

It  _ wasn’t _ a dream. They were all  _ memories _ . They really  _ had _ died. Toriel  _ killed  _ them.

Frisk stopped short, their sudden resistance bringing Toriel to a halt. Their dark eyes stared into empty space, seeing and unseeing at the same time. Toriel asked them what was wrong. Her words fell on deaf ears.

Toriel  _ killed  _ them.

The thought echoed through their mind, recurring and overlapping over itself as the revelation registered itself into their conscience. Those really  _ were _ memories. That’s why everything was so familiar!

They heard a voice calling their name and their head snapped up to stare at Toriel. She was staring down at them, her face twisted into an evil grin. Flames sprouted out around them and her eyes were wide and wild, a dark peal of laughter leaving her lips.

“N-no!” they cried out, recoiling violently. Their face turned away from her with such velocity, Frisk was sure they incurred whiplash from the sudden movement.

Her grip only tightened, pulling them a little closer toward her.

She called their name again. This time, in a sickeningly-sweet voice.

“No! G-get away!” they shouted again, their eyes darting back to her. Their heart skipped a beat.

Her face was normal now but, behind those crimson eyes, lingered the dark tendrils of madness clouding her mind. Insanity that grew stronger as more days in prolonged solitude whittled away at her rationality and twisted her integrity into something less than humane.

Frisk’s heart pounded in their chest, beating against their ribs. Their breaths sped up─quick and ragged. Their hands sweat. Fear worried away at their mind. Clouded their judgement. Toriel wanted to kill them. She wanted them  _ gone _ .

“Get away from me!” they screamed, struggling against her grip.

At some point in their attempts to get away, they had slapped her. Hard.

Toriel reeled away, letting go of them. She clasped a hand over her stinging cheek, tears in her eyes.

Frisk fell back from the sudden loss of resistance, their right elbow colliding with the dirt and scraping against a jagged stone. They gasped and panted, tears streaming down their face. They glanced back at the monster and their breath hitched.

There, stood Toriel. She wasn’t smiling maliciously. She wasn’t surrounded by flames. She wasn’t even angry. All she did was stand over them─silent, eyes wide with shock. Her hand slipped from her cheek, hanging limply at her side now.

Frisk, overwhelmed by guilt and hiccupping from the tears that dampened their cheeks, scrambled up to their feet and fled. They didn’t even notice that they had left Flowey behind with Toriel, abandoned on the ground from where he had fallen from their shoulder. They didn’t hear his voice as he desperately called out to them, shouting for them to come back.

“Frisk!”

Not even a moment later, they were gone, disappearing into the shadows of the Ruins and running as far and as fast as their legs could take them.

After what they did...

...how could Toriel ever forgive them?

XXXXXX

What the  _ hell _ was  _ that? _

Flowey stared at the darkness, into which Frisk had disappeared in their mad dash to get away. What went wrong? They were doing just fine and then, when they took Toriel’s hand... they freaked out. Did Toriel do something? No. Not likely. She cared too much for the fallen children to harm them just like that. It must’ve been something that Frisk saw. Something that frightened them enough to run away so abruptly. But...  _ what? _

He felt a powerful tug at his heart, as if strings had wrapped around his soul without his knowing, that pulled him in the direction in which the human had fled. He felt concern bubbling up within him. No. He wasn’t  _ concerned _ ... He was just... just...  _ wondering _ about their well-being. That’s it.

Out of curiosity, he glanced back at Toriel, wondering if she’d be the one to go after the spooked human... only to see her standing there, tears still pooled at the edges of her eyes. She wasn’t moving. He doubted she even knew what was going on right about now. Lost in her thoughts... again.

With a sigh, he realized it was up to him to bring the human back, even though he knew they’d keep dying over and over again. Sometimes, he wondered why he even bothered.

They were just going to end up dead again anyway.

XXXXXX

_ “It’s okay. You’re just like my mom when she gets frustrated. She didn’t mean to hurt me. She just... wanted to keep me safe.” _

Something in their words had struck a chord in Toriel’s cold heart, causing a twinge of emotion to shoot through her mind. She hadn’t known what it was at first, but she remembered feeling something like it many years ago, when the first human had fallen down. The state in which they had been in... had brought out the same emotion. But that was years ago. Centuries, even.

Her head tilted back and her eyes scanned the deep chasms in the ceiling. The light that filtered through them in thin beams warmed her white fur and coaxed her eyes closed. If it weren’t for the voices whispering sweet nothings into her mind and wheedling her into keeping those children against their will, one would believe her to be nothing more than a sweet and innocent monster longing to be a mother once again. If only those voices weren’t there, she would’ve lived a normal life. A normal life with normal children that she would have loved to no end.

If only she hadn’t listened to those damned voices... her little girl would still be alive.  _ All _ of her children would still be here, alive and well. Every single one of them.

But, now... now it was too late.

She had just lost another one.

Tears gathered at the edges of her eyes and she opened her crimson irises to the sight of flickering sunlight and fading warmth. The sun was beginning to set.

With a heavy sigh, she started back toward the house. After chasing after so many of her children, why waste her efforts on another one when they’re only going to end up dead like the rest?

XXXXXX

Although he hated to admit it, Flowey was growing panicked. He knew he should’ve held onto them better. That way, he wouldn’t waste his time trying to find them.

He let out a frustrated groan. This kid was good. They really knew how to hide when they didn’t want to be found. He had searched everywhere for the past, what? Few hours? And still, he couldn’t come across any sign of them.

His soul began to pulse vigorously along with his emotions, mirroring the pulsations to that of a human heart. He growled in exasperation and continued on, avoiding every monster and checking every room again. Maybe he missed one?

Finally, with an aggravated cry, Flowey slumped in place, his soul stilling as his emotions simmered down. He gave up. He’d scoured every last square inch of the Ruins and, even then, he hadn’t found the troublesome human.

Wait,  _ why  _ did he care? The last time he’d met a human, they betrayed him. They turned on him and tried to kill him. All because they blamed him for getting them lost in the Snowdin woods. And it wasn’t just then. The last few humans used him as a scapegoat for everything they refused to take responsibility for. They complained and cried over every little thing that bothered them, which ended up killing them more often than not. So what would stop this human from doing the same and ending up like the rest of them?

Flowey sighed. This was harder than he thought. Even though all humans were the same, shouldn’t he still help them out regardless? He  _ did _ (begrudgingly) promise to guide Frisk through the Underground when they first met... so it wouldn’t be fair to them if he broke that promise. Even though it  _ would  _ be nice to take a break from escorting every human he ever met through the Underground.

“Alright. Fine,” he huffed, speaking to no one in particular. “That brat better be somewhere around here, or I swear...” His empty threat remained unfinished when he discerned the erratic rise and falls of crying. Short gasps for breath, followed by jagged exhales that were broken by the occasional hiccup or whine. It was a pitiful cacophony that wafted through the silent hallways of the Ruins.

Some of the monsters briefly paused for a few moments, registering the sound, but didn’t bother to check as to what could be causing the discord.

Curiosity filled the golden flower. Why were they crying? What made them cry? Was it what they saw earlier? The things that Flowey himself couldn’t? It miffed the flower. Their moods changed so quickly. Were they bipolar or something?

Flowey made his way toward Frisk, who was curled up in the corner of the room, hands wrapped around their knees and their head resting on their forearms. He pouted almost childishly, irritated that he came all this way just to find out how much of a wuss Frisk was.

“Do you know how  _ long _ it took for me to─”

Their head whipped up at the sound of his voice and Flowey gawked, eyes widening a fraction. He became a bit startled and put off by their shambolic appearance.

Frisk’s eyes were red and swollen from their tears. The whites in their eyes were bloodshot and there were wet streaks running down their cheeks. Their hair was unkempt and wild from the run and their clothes slightly torn. Their hands and knees were scraped, most likely from falling down at some point, and their right elbow was bleeding from the earlier fall. Their dark eyes gleamed with fear and bemusement, as if they couldn’t figure something out and it frightened them that they had no answer for whatever question they couldn’t elucidate.

“Oh...” He uttered dumbly. Then, he quickly fixed his composure, straightening. “What─um...” He cleared his throat. “What are you doing here?” He mentally berated himself for asking such a ridiculous question.

They laugh bitterly. “It─it’s so s-stupid,” they mutter, barely audible. “I’m just s-sitting h-here and crying wh-when I’m supposed t-to be with Toriel.” They glanced down at him. “I’m p-pathetic... aren’t I?”

Flowey didn’t know how to respond. He knew they weren’t pathetic, even if he refused to acknowledge it. They were stronger than all the other humans but... they were still weak. They couldn’t even walk with Toriel to her house, for crying out loud! What’s so bad about her anyway? Sure, she might’ve killed them last time but they’ll get past her  _ this _ time, right?

He sighed, crossing his arms over his stem, a dark cloud of vexation floating over his head. “Stop being such a wuss and pull yourself together, kid. You’ve barely even gotten through the Ruins and there’s a lot more of the Underground to get through anyway. So, get off your ass and let’s get moving!” He was beginning to run on a short fuse now. And when he’s impatient or angered, he tended to swear, no matter  _ who _ was around him.

The flower expected the human to start arguing with them. To his surprise, they didn’t say anything. They got up with an indignant huff and started down the path, refusing to look at him.

His heart dropped a little. Did he say something wrong? No. He was right. Frisk just had to know that their little crying session wasn’t going to help anyone and that they were being completely useless. They had to know the truth, even if it hurt.

And yet, the plant still continued to doubt himself. Had he really said the right things? Was it really worth losing Frisk for the sake of getting through the Ruins? What if they needed his help? Would they reject him?

No. They’d be fine. They were strong. They could take care of themselves.

...Or so he hoped.


	2. Conflict

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk's PTSD is only getting worse and Toriel's hearing voices. What the hell is going on?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! Yay!
> 
> Didn't think I'd update so soon. I've been so filled with Determination these past few days that I managed to finish another chapter. Even though it's shorter than I expected, I'm sure you guys will enjoy it. And I know this might be a slow beginning, but trust me. It's getting better.
> 
> Thanks for the kudos! :)

It was warm.

That was the first thing Frisk remembered of Toriel's house. Warm and comforting. It always felt like home to them. One that they hadn’t had for a while. The next thing they recalled was the familiar, sweet smell of butterscotch pie that wafted through the hallway from the kitchen. A smile played across their lips as the smell overwhelmed their senses. Fond memories arose from the depths of their tortured conscience, but were quickly warped by the last moments of their previous life, the dark cloud wiping away their grin. Their eyes grew dull and saddened as they realized what this could mean. They could be trapped in the Underground forever, destined to die, over and over and over again, never to reach the surface again.

They shuddered, a cold chill passing down their spine.

Their eyes darted toward the stairs. For a brief moment, they thought they could see themselves running down the stairs, Toriel following not far behind, her hands coated with flames. They blinked. It was gone.

They glanced around. Had they imagined it? They shook their head. It was probably nothing.

Their dark eyes wandered back to the railing, hesitantly. Slowly, as if afraid they’d be pulled right back into those last few moments. The running. The fear. Toriel’s angered screaming. The flames as they just barely missed their small body. And... the final blow. The one that killed them. The one that brought them back to life not a moment later. Though they were  _ terrified _ of going back down the stairs, of  _ reliving _ that nightmare─that reality─they knew they had no reason to go there... yet. And they dreaded the moment they would. Instead, they quickly turned down the brightly-lit hallway and made their way to the living room, where they knew Toriel often resided. With a book in hand, no less.

They abruptly stopped just before the monster came into their sight, the doorway obscuring her from their line of sight. They remembered what happened last time. The evil grin. The flames. Her sickly-sweet voice as she prepared to kill them. They didn't want to see that. They didn't want to see her like that. They didn’t want to go through that again. Not now, not ever.

They took a step back.

No more. They didn’t want to do this. They didn’t want to face her. They couldn’t. They wouldn’t.

Another step back. The floor creaked under their weight, making them freeze up. They listened for movement. For her voice. Anything.

Nothing. No shift. No sound. Not even the slightest hint that she had heard them.

Flowey whispered into their ear, “What are you doing? Just go to Toriel and eat some pie! Just like last time!”

Wait, what?!

“Y-you remember?!” they hissed back, frozen in shock. “Y-you actually r-remember?!”

“Of course I do, you idiot!” He hit the side of their head─which was as far as he could reach─with a leaf. “But, unlike you, I'm not a scaredy-cat! Now go and face her!”

“I-I can't!” Another step back. This time, no creaking.

Flowey raised an eyebrow.

“I-I can't... I c-can’t. I just... just...  _ can't _ ,” they stuttered, their legs threatening to buckle as they faced the doorway. Their heart thrummed against their ribs. Their mind whirled. Their neck hurt.

They didn't  _ want _ to go. They didn't  _ want _ to see her again. They didn't want to  _ die _ again.

“Come on! Just go!” the golden flower growled at them.

“N-no!” Their voice was loud.  _ Too _ loud.

A familiar, soft voice suddenly rang out, “My child?” What should've been the warm voice of Toriel, suddenly twisted itself into the sickly-sweet hiss of a broken mother.

Their breath hitched. Their chest ached, their ribs threatening to break from the powerful thundering of their heart. Oh, god. Oh, god, no. Oh god, oh god, oh godohgodohgodohgodno! No! Not her! Anyone but  _ her _ !

They heard footsteps. Soft but heavy.  _ She  _ was coming.

_ Her footsteps echoed through the empty hallway. Her shadow glided across the dimly-lit room.  _ She _ was coming. And she wasn’t happy. _

With the slight squealing of their sneakers on the hardwood floor, they made a run for it. Their footsteps thumped down the hallway. They panicked, head turning this way and that. They wanted out. They wanted to leave!

No way out. No windows. No other doors to the outside. Nothing.

_ They whirled around to face her. She towered over them as they cowered in the corner. They were trapped. _

_ “Why are you running?” she asked them in a sickly-sweet voice, mock hurt coating her words. “Are you afraid?” _

_ They scooted away further. Their back was pressed against the wall now. _

_ “Why are you afraid of me?” _

Frisk whimpered, their next step causing their spine to hit the corner. A jolt of pain shot up their spine. They gasped, their back arching from the sudden twinge. They blinked. She was gone. The darkness was gone.

However, their relief was short-lived.

“My child?”

They could hear Toriel making her way to the doorway. Their heart skipped a beat. The only ways out were the front door and the basement. Their chest heaved. There was no more time. No more. They were going to die. She was going to hurt them. Hurt them badly. She wanted them  _ gone. _

As quickly as their legs could take them, they darted back down the hallway. They burst through the front door just as Toriel came through the doorway and ran, with Flowey angrily yelling at them from where he was perched on their shoulder. They ignored his shouts and fled, putting as much distance between themselves and the monster.

XXXXXX

“My... child...?”

They were running away from her. Again.

What had she done wrong? All she wanted was to help them. To keep them safe and feed them some of her pie. She doubted they liked snail pie, anyway. That’s why she always made butterscotch-cinnamon as well. The humans never liked snail pie. Said it “tasted weird” or something along those lines.

She shook her head. Now’s not the time, she scolded herself mentally. My child is scared and alone. I have to find them!

**Must you, Toriel?** a familiar voice whispered into her right ear.

“Leave me alone,” she growled. The voice was back. It always does this. When something happens to her children or she finally gathers up the courage to chase after them, the voice returns. It speaks to her. Lectures her. It tells her that it’s useless to go after the human, especially since they’ll always wind up dead, one way or another.

**Why do you even bother? They’ll only end up dead. Just like the rest of them. And you know that well, don’t you, Mother?**

It had called her “Mother” ever since it first started. She never knew why. If it was to mock her, it was doing a damn well job of it. If it was simply a quirk, it was annoying. The voice didn’t know her. She wasn’t its mother, and she will  _ never _ be its mother, no matter how much it sounded like... like...

Toriel let out a frustrated groan. Why now? Why bother her  _ now _ ?

“Go. Away,” she snarled.

A bone-chilling laugh echoed through the hallway.  **Oh, Mother. If only you knew... you wouldn’t want me gone.**

It’s words irked her. “Why  _ wouldn’t _ I want you gone? All you’ve done is make my life hell!” she snapped.

All she received was another peal of laughter in return.  **Come now. You don’t believe that, do you?** its voice was derisively sweet. It was toying with her.  **It’s all because you were too** **_weak_ ** **. You couldn’t save them because you were a** **_terrible_ ** **mother.** **_You_ ** **let them go.** **_You_ ** **let them die. It wasn’t** **_me_ ** **. It was** **_never_ ** **me. It was always** **_you_ ** **.**

“Shut up!” Toriel shouted, tears beginning to bubble up. “Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Just. Shut. Up, goddammit!” Her hands tightened into fists and her eyes screwed shut. “You’re wrong! You’re wrong! You’re not real! You’re _not_ _real_!” Her words grew louder at every word, each one becoming less and less directed at the voice. Eventually, it was more reassurance to herself than anything else. She kept telling herself it wasn’t real. That the voice wasn’t real. That it was nothing more than fiction, a figment of her imagination. _Anything_ but real.

The room was quiet. The hallway was blanketed by a thick layer of silence. All that echoed were her sobs, muffled by her hand, which was pressed to her lips as tears streamed down her face. Tears of frustration. Of loss. Of denial.

Once she realized how quiet it was, she lifted her head slightly, listening. Several minutes passed in silence, and yet, she caught nothing. No murmur. No sigh. No movement.

It was gone.

The voice. It... it was  _ gone _ .

Toriel’s eyes widened. Was it really gone? Had she... had she finally, after all these years, chased them away? Had she really...? And  _ this _ was all she had to do? Just shout back at it until it shut up? That was all it took?!

A giggle slipped past her lips.

Just a little banter and it was gone. Just like that.

Her laughter grew louder, more hysterical.

All she had to do was stand up against it? To tell it she wouldn’t do it? To shout out that it wasn’t real? To tell herself it was all just a part of her imagination?

By now, she was in stitches.

It was so simple! So simple!

Even so... she failed. Her chuckles died down, her breath stilling as realization dawned upon her. She failed to get rid of it. Failed to chase it away. Failed to protect her children.

Her children... Her... her children... They...

The first tears bubbled up as the memories came flooding back.

“Oh, god,” she muttered, her voice quivering. The tears quickened, flowing faster. “Oh, god! Oh my god!” The revelation, both cruel and dark, washed over her conscience. Because of the voices, she  _ killed _ them. She killed them all because  _ it _ told her to. Because  _ it _ wouldn’t fall silent until  _ it _ tasted blood. Because she didn’t want to hear  _ it _ anymore. Its complaints. Its teasing. Its taunting. Its voice.

She was so  _ sick _ of that voice. Of the one that drove her further and further down the dark spiral of insanity. Of the one that reminded her, day after day after day of her mistakes, of her actions, of her regrets. Of the same voice that once belonged to someone... someone she... once knew...

And now... Now that she had the power to banish it...

...it was already far too late.

XXXXXX

Frisk let out a deep sigh, their pounding heart gradually slowing. Their chest hurt and their legs thrummed with rushing blood. They hadn’t expected to go  _ this _ far, or that fast. It was a miracle they could even  _ run _ that far without stopping. Last time they checked, they were dead last in every timed run during P.E. class. Wouldn’t their teacher be proud?

“What the hell was that about, Frisk?” Flowey’s voice snapped them out of their musings. “Toriel wasn’t going to  _ kill _ you! At least... not until you ask her how to leave the Ruins...” He muttered the last bit under his breath, but they still caught every word.

“I─I can’t... I d-didn’t... I...” they tried to speak. They couldn’t form any words. They were tongue-tied and exhausted. Their mind whirled and their stomach growled. They hadn’t had anything to eat or drink since they’d come back to life. And that wasn’t a good thing, especially since there were so many blood-thirsty monsters wandering around the Ruins.

“Oh, forget it!” Flowey grumbled. “We gotta go back anyway. After all, Toriel’s house is the only way out of here.”

“How do you know that?” They never told him they’d been past the Ruins. All he’d told them when they met was that the Underground was too dangerous for a weakling like themselves.

The flower turned away. He avoided their eyes. He knew something they didn’t and they knew it wouldn’t be anything pleasant, judging by his reaction. But they were confused as to why it bothered Flowey so much, enough to make him hesitate.

After a long moment and a deep breath, he turns back around, his eyes hard and cold.

“...You aren’t the first and... you might not be the last.”


	3. Flowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Story time and flower crowns.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you'll all forgive me for taking so long just to post this chapter, but the wait's over now, so it's okay now... I guess.
> 
> Anyway, once school starts again, I won't have as much time to post these chapters, so please bee patient with me.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos!

“What do you mean?” Frisk inquired softly. Curiosity mixed with mild trepidation glimmered in their eyes.

“It was... a long time ago,” Flowey began, eyes downcast as his mind recalled the events that transpired when the first human had fallen. “She fell down into the Underground, hurt and lost. Back then... I...” He hesitated. Should he tell them? Tell them that he wasn’t originally merely a talking flower? That he was...

He shook his head. Maybe another time.

“Toriel took her in,” he finally said, avoiding their eyes. “Mind you, this was before Toriel lived in the Ruins.”

They nodded. Despite their nose being too close for comfort, seeing as he was perched on their shoulder, he didn’t bother to complain as his thoughts drifted further into distant, warm memories. “She was determined.  _ Very _ determined. Even more so than you.” Though his words weren’t meant to be harsh, they still made Frisk glance away, almost as if ashamed by that fact.

He turned toward them, leaning back a little to provide himself some space from the close proximity of the human. “She was a little younger than yourself and... she looked a lot like you, but her eyes were red. Her name was Chara.” He took a deep breath, shifting his attention to a nearby monster. It didn’t come near them, thankfully. He didn’t want them to die before he finished the story. He hated repeating himself.

“She was nice, though a little strange. She always seemed sad and, whenever her brother--the son of Toriel and King Asgore--”

“Toriel had a son?!” Frisk exclaimed suddenly, cutting off the flower.

“Yes,” Flowey muttered through clenched teeth. He hated being interrupted, especially when he was in the middle of remembering the past he’d nearly forgotten. It had been, after all, a hundred-some years ago when it all happened. “They did. But he’s not important. He’s dead.”

“Oh.” Their shoulders dropped. “Sorry.”

He waved them off, still irked by the interruption. “Anyway... Chara often played with Toriel’s son but, every time they did, she looked... guilty--depressed, even. He asked her what was wrong. She told him that it wasn’t fair that the monsters were locked up underground while humanity got to live on the surface. She told him that they were too nice to be stuck down here in the dark, with no way to get out.”

Frisk seemed to sense that the story was going to be a long one, so they sat down carefully, trying to disturb him as minimally as possible.

Flowey continued without delay, “So, the young prince told her about the barrier and how to break it. The monsters needed seven human souls to break the barrier and free monsterkind. Back then, they had none, since Chara was the first human to ever fall down into the mountain. After Chara learned about this, she seemed to be planning something. Always planning something.

“As the days passed, the children of Toriel and Asgore decided to make a pie--butterscotch-cinnamon, to be exact. However, they read the ingredients wrong and put buttercups into the mix, not butterscotch. Toriel’s handwriting was always a bit difficult to read...

“The King, happy that his children had decided to surprise him with pie, ate it. That was when everything went wrong. Asgore became very sick after eating the pie. After all, buttercups are poisonous when ingested. Thankfully, Toriel’s healing managed to save his life, curing him of the deadly illness. Chara was never the same after that.”

Something in his tone made Frisk frown, but Flowey paid them no attention, too lost in his memories to see anything but Chara’s smiling face. He wished he could see her again, to see her ecstatic grin once more. It was the only thing that made him smile these days.

“One day, she told her brother of her plans. She was going to kill herself and let him absorb her soul so that they could become really powerful and gather all the human souls they needed to break the barrier. And she was going to do that by eating buttercups.

“The prince pleaded with her, asking her not to do this and, instead, try to find a different way to free the monsters. But, with her determination, there was no way of convincing her otherwise. So, the prince decided to help her. If he couldn’t change her mind, he might as well help her. He was the only one she trusted, and the only one she told of her plans. And so, Chara ate buttercups every day.

“It was an excruciatingly slow and painful process. Her throat and mouth swelled up with blisters and every moment was consumed by anguish. It was horrifying. But she kept eating them, no matter how much it hurt. And, every day, Toriel tried to heal her. But nothing ever worked, because she never stopped eating those damned buttercups. She even got her brother to join in when she couldn’t move her arms anymore. Just before the buttercups killed her, she asked her brother for one last favor.

“‘Take me to the village,’ she had whispered. She could barely speak through the pain and the infection. All she wanted was to see those flowers─the ones that grew in the middle of the village. The prince, broken-hearted and teary-eyed, promised her. He promised to take her body there and lay her among the flowers.

“Finally... she died. The buttercups had done their job. Her crimson soul--the soul of Determination--was absorbed by the prince. He was overwhelmed with the power. It filled every inch of his body, making him feel so... powerful and invulnerable, as if  _ nothing _ could stop him. But, he remembered his promise to Chara.

“He passed through the barrier easily, carrying Chara’s limp body in his arms. He walked down to the village near the mountain, the plan Chara had made to free the monsters still fresh in his mind. He just needed seven souls. Seven human souls and his people would be freed.

“When he entered the village, he found the flower patch and laid Chara down on it. The ironic thing was,” Flowey chuckled bitterly, “that those flowers that Chara asked him to carry her to... were buttercups, the same ones that had killed her and poisoned their father.

“The humans saw the prince with the girl’s body and believed that he had killed her. So, they attacked. They wounded him badly, chasing him out of the village and up the mountain, forcing him to take Chara back with him. Though he had enough power to kill them all, he couldn’t do it. He was too  _ weak _ . Too weak to keep Chara alive. Too weak to save the monsters another hundred years of isolation. Too weak to save himself.

“Eventually, he stumbled back into the Underground and collapsed, his wounds too grievous for any hope of recovery. His body turned to dust, Chara’s crimson heart shattering along with him. Both died on a patch of buttercups.”

The last sentence made Frisk snort. What they found amusing was most likely the fact that the buttercups were both the start and the end of the conflict. Amusing as it was, it was also painful, seeing as the plants grew all around the Underground, especially in the Ruins and the palace.

Regardless, Flowey continued. “Toriel broke up with Asgore after that, unable to live with herself. She had lost both her children in a matter of  _ days _ . She moved into the Ruins, becoming the guardian of the place. At first, everything seemed to be going well. Humans fell down into the Underground--some weeks after the previous ones, others appearing  _ months _ afterwards. However, everything began to collapse after the first few humans fell.

“Monsters fought each other for a chance to get the human soul. They wanted power. They wanted to be free. And, as more humans fell, the monsters became more desperate, going as far as killing  _ each other _ just to get a chance of acquiring a soul. It became so bad over the years that they became what they are now. Nothing more than killing machines, slaughtering anything that dares to enter the Underground, including their own.”

There was silence. Frisk seemed lost in thought.

Then, they spoke. “You said that this was over a hundred years ago, right?”

“Yeah. So?”

“Then, does that mean monsters are immortal?”

He straightened, opening his mouth to answer, but the words were caught in his throat.  _ Were _ monsters immortal? He hadn’t thought about it that way. Slouching as he pondered over the inquiry, the flower racked his mind for any plausible answers. Sure, monsters couldn’t die from old age, technically. Unless if they age really slowly... slower than humans, at least.

In all honesty, he didn’t know. Toriel never told him about the average lifespan of a monster, much less whether they die of natural causes or whatnot. He knew they could be killed just like any other mortal creature, but the question of whether or not they were truly immortal lingered in the front of his mind, the words burned into his conscience. They troubled him, making him frown.

Were monsters really immortal?

Much to Flowey’s chagrin, he couldn’t find an actual answer. And it pissed him off. He was the one who knew  _ everything _ about the Underground, about the monsters that lived in it. So, why couldn’t he answer one simple question?

With a frustrated growl, he decided to do what he always did when he didn’t know: avoid the inquiry altogether. “I don’t know,” he spat, crossing his arms over his stem and turning away from the human. “Why does it matter? It’s not like it’ll help you or anything...”

He could feel Frisk’s eyes on the back of his head. He knew they were only trying to find answers, but he couldn’t help it. He’d snapped back like this so many times he didn’t know how to stop. It was always... just... like that.

No, another part of him whispered. You weren’t always like this. You were kind. You were generous. And you certainly didn’t snap back at others or hide your emotions.

Oh, shut up, the other half snarled back. You know nothing.

The timid voice fell silent. Hopefully that part of his conscience won’t bother him anytime soon. He didn’t need to hear this. Hell, he didn’t even want to remember the past. All that did was bring up painful memories that had nothing to do with the issues he had to deal with now, in the present. Besides, memories brought up emotions. And, here, emotions were nothing more than a weakness, a nuisance.

He was jolted out of his thoughts when Frisk began to walk through the Ruins, heading the opposite direction from Toriel’s house. They were thinking about something. And they were determined.

He could see it in their eyes.

They were adamant, resolved. But, for what?

As Frisk traveled through the Underground, back to the very entrance of the monster world, Flowey glared at any monster that dared to approach the human. Their soul was vibrant and strong--a temptation for any monster they’d come across. So, the flower made it his personal mission to at least keep them safe. They were, after all, his only key to getting out of the Ruins and he couldn’t pass that up, not if he was willing to wait another couple decades or so for another human to fall down.

Once they reached the end of the Ruins and came upon the golden flower patch that cushioned Frisk’s fall when they tumbled down into the Underground, the human began to pick the flowers.

“What are you doing? We’re supposed to be getting out of here, not picking flowers!” Flowey hissed. He was absolutely  _ livid _ .

They were supposed to get through the Ruins as fast as possible and get this whole thing over with, not pick flowers and cry over every little thing that happens!

He let out an exasperated sigh. His plans were foiled. All because this  _ human _ wanted to pick flowers and cry about how terrible the Ruins are and how they don’t want to see Toriel anymore.

He suppressed a groan. How was he ever going to get out of the Ruins now?

As the human worked on whatever the hell they were making out of those long-stemmed flowers, he kept watch, just in case if something were to try and attack them. However, his curiosity got the best of him and he found himself slowly turning all of his attention to the kid and their woven band of flowers. What were they making?

While his focus was tuned in elsewhere and Frisk was too busy working on their gathered flowers to notice anything, they failed to detect the approaching presence. It was only when the figure was no more than three feet away that they whipped their heads around to see who it was.

Toriel.

Toriel had found them.

XXXXXX

Frisk stared up at the goat monster in surprise, an almost finished flower crown hanging from their frozen fingers, and swallowed thickly. Their dark eyes were wide and frightened, uncertain of what could happen. She could yell at them for running away like that. She could kill them. Or, she could ask them what they were doing and take them home with her. They didn’t think the last one was possible at this point. They’d run away from her  _ twice  _ already, so why  _ wouldn’t _ she be angry at them? Angry enough to kill? Maybe. Angry enough to yell at them? Definitely. Calm enough to talk to them? Probably not.

From what they could see, her body was tense, as if she were fighting against herself. They could see the fury blazing in her magenta eyes that clashed against the compassion and sorrow she felt for them. She was trying to figure out how to talk to them. How to approach them without scaring them away. But there was also something else behind that stern gaze. It caused her eyes to flicker to the golden patch of flowers, as if she knew something about them that Frisk didn’t. As if there was something there that only she could see.

Feeling a bit awkward from the oppressing silence, they glanced down at the thick rings of flowers they had managed to accomplish in the past several or so minutes and worked on completing the final crown. Thick silence blanketed the room, chilling the atmosphere. It was broken by the quiet breathing of each individual and Frisk’s thundering heart. Their hands shook from the raging bundle of nerves beneath their forced mask of calm and they forced themselves to breathe normally, lest they make the situation worse by panicking.

They didn’t want to hurt Toriel. They never meant to. They hated making others mad and they hated being the target of said frustrations. They’d gone through that sort of abuse too many times for them to want to lapse back into that painful cycle anytime soon, if ever. That’s why they made the flower crowns. As an apology... and something else. Something more meaningful than just a simple apology.

Once they finished, they picked up the three flower crowns, each of them a different size. They held up the largest one for Toriel, a wavering smile quivering on their lips. They held their breath, waiting for the monster’s response.

Her face was impassive, revealing nothing to the small human. They couldn’t read her. Even her eyes were shadowed, her inner conflict hidden by a stone-cold mask. For the first time in their life, they couldn’t read her, the one monster that they’d always been able to understand ever since they fell down here. And it scared them more than they ever thought it would.

Their legs grew weak, shaking a little. An icy chill passed through their spine. Their heart dropped and their smile faltered.

Did they do something wrong?

Their hands lowered a bit, withdrawing the exceptionally-made flower crown. A pit of doubt blossomed in their chest.

Had they made it all worse?

Their eyes dropped to the ground, their head now tilted downward.

Was she angry with them? Was she sad? Was she--

Warm, fuzzy hands gently held their hands, snapping them out of their depressed stupor. Hope began to fill their heart as they watched her with large, shocked eyes. She knelt down and slowly guided their flower crown to her head, the other flower crowns slipping down to their shoulder. They didn’t mind. They got to place Toriel’s flower crown on her head, and that made them happier than anything else she could’ve done for them as a mother.

A large grin stretched across their face, showing their teeth as they adjusted the ring of flowers around the horns she had atop her head. When they let go of the crown, it dropped a little, slipping over one of Toriel’s eyes. It elicited a laugh from them as they fixed the crown, nimble fingers straightening the delicate weaving of blossoms. Toriel’s own chuckle joined in, a light smile playing across her lips.

Their heart fluttered, becoming lighter, and their eyes shone brighter. They were  _ happy _ . For the first time in a long while, they were actually  _ happy _ . No more yelling. No more pain. No more fear. Just happiness. It was all they could do not to burst into a fit of joyous laughter. They’d never felt so free and relieved in their life.

Maybe the Underground wasn’t so bad after all--with Toriel, of course.

They noticed the goat monster relax, her shoulders dropping from their tense state. Though she wasn’t as ecstatic as them, her exuberance was just as bright in her gaze as it was in theirs. Gone was the emotionless mask; instead, it was replaced by the gentle grin of a relieved mother. A mother she had once been many, many years ago.

Maybe Toriel wasn’t that bad, either. She was definitely a better mother than their’s had ever been.

They gently tugged the other two rings of woven, golden flowers from around their arm and plopped the smallest one on Flowey’s head, making him jump and try to get it off.

“What the  _ hell _ are you doing?! Get this thing off me!” he hissed, his choice of language earning him a glare from Toriel. “I don’t want a stupid flower crown!”

It fell off when the talking plant shook it off his head, an unamused and cross expression on his face. He crossed his leaves over his stem. Though he appeared disgusted and irritated by the thought of wearing a ring of flowers on his petalled head, there was also a nostalgic sadness in his eyes, one that Frisk hadn’t ever seen before in his gaze.

It surprised them and disheartened them. What had Flowey gone through to make the flowers seem like such a bad thing?

They picked up the flower crown and glanced over to the tsundere flower. “Why don’t you like it?” they inquired quietly, running a finger over the slightly crushed petals.

“I just don’t,” he huffed, avoiding their question just like he always did. He dared not to look them in the eyes. Was he embarrassed with wearing one?

“Well,” they began, lifting up the larger flower crown, “I’m wearing one, too. See?” They slip in on their own head, their mussed up hair a little less tousled with the flowers perched on their head. “It’s okay to wear one, you know?”

“I know that!” he spat. “I just...” His voice dropped, expression grim and eyes dulled. “They remind me of some... bad memories.” He refused to meet their curious gaze, even though they silently pleaded for him to look at them. They wanted to see his eyes, to see what bothered him so much. They wanted to know the truth.

After a few moments, they realized it was no use and shifted their attention to the small flower crown in their hands. Their thumb brushes over the golden petals as Flowey’s story comes back to them. Their brows furrow and their determination sparks up again, bright as ever. “Well...” they start, placing the flower crown back onto his head. “Let’s change those memories to good ones, then. If they’re bad right now, we can change them to be good, right? That’s how I... how I always fixed bad memories. I just... replaced them with happy ones.” A hopeful yet bittersweet grin crossed their lips, their eyes darting to the ground. They wrung their hands in nervousness, wondering how the flower would respond.

Flowey watched them for a good minute, eyes scrutinizing them as they shifted a little nervously under his intense gaze. Him sitting on their right shoulder didn’t make it any better. After a while, he relaxed. “Alright.”

Their gaze snapped back toward him. “R-really?”

“Yes, really. Let’s...” He took a deep breath before continuing. “Let’s give it a try.”

Their smile widened and they hummed with satisfaction. They turned back to Toriel, who was watching the scene from her kneeling position with an amused grin playing across her lips. They gave her a small smile and held out their hand, their expression growing a little more solemn now.

“I... uh... I wanted to say sorry for... for running away like that,” they started, “and I want to... ask for your forgiveness?” It was more of a question than a statement, their uncertainty showing through. Their hand wavered slightly, part of them wanting to pull away and the other part of them wanting them to stay where they were. Their eyes drifted everywhere but her gaze and their hand began to curl back toward themselves, but something stopped them.

A large, soft hand clasped their smaller one and their focus darted back to the monster, their eyes flicking between their joined hands and her face. A warm bloom of hopefulness bloomed in their heart, their heartbeat speeding up. Their eyes darted all over her relaxed expression. From the soft smile, to the warm and welcoming eyes, to her fur-covered hand that clung to their own, to the flower crown resting atop her head. Everything pointed to one thing: forgiveness.

Finally, she spoke.

“I forgive you, my child.”


	4. Mother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A day spent with Toriel and... Flowey's escape plan?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for not updating earlier. Please forgive me for my lateness.
> 
> School has been getting difficult recently and I have had trouble with trying to keep up with schoolwork and trying to write this chapter at the same time.
> 
> Thank you all for being so patient. And thank you for all the kudos! :)

The walk back to Toriel’s house was quiet yet pleasant. Frisk held onto Toriel’s hand as they walked, smiling brightly as they lightly swung their intertwined hands back and forth. Toriel, too, sported a small grin.

Ever since she had forgiven them, the tension between them had eased away, melting into a comfortable warmth instead. It was something Frisk hadn’t felt in many years─a bond that they had felt only once... with their father.

They never knew what had happened with their beloved parent. All they remembered was the muffled shouts on the other side of the wall, followed by crashing and more screaming. They had cowered in the corner of their room then, fearing the worst. However, after what seemed like hours of senseless screaming, the commotion finally died down and the front door slammed shut. After that, they never saw their father again.

Their smile wavered as the memories came back but they pushed them away, shaking their head. Those memories would be addressed later. They didn’t want to ruin such a nice moment, especially since it was the first peaceful moment they had in a while.

Once they reached the lone house at the end of the Ruins, Toriel led them into the living room and told them she would make them some pie. Before she disappeared into the kitchen, the goat monster asked them if they’d prefer sail or butterscotch-cinnamon pie. Of course, they chose the latter. Snail pie didn’t sound very pleasing to them.

“Frisk,” Flowey hissed into the human’s ear, “let’s go! Toriel’s not here right now, so let’s get out of here!”

“No. We can’t,” they replied. “It’d be rude to leave now. Plus, Toriel’s really nice and I don’t wanna make her sad.”  _ Besides, mommy would always be sad when I left... only when she didn’t take her pills, that is, _ they added bitterly.  _ Those pills always made her loopy afterwards... _

The flower groaned. “Why am  _ I _ stuck with the stubborn one?” he grumbled under his breath. Thanks to his close proximity, Frisk heard every word he said.

“Don’t be mean,” they scolded him. “Besides, how would you like it if the first person you met in a hundred years would leave without saying goodbye?”

Though Flowey appeared indifferent, Frisk could still pick out the slight slouch in his posture and the hardening of his gaze, their words striking a sensitive chord in his heart. “I wouldn’t care...” He spoke much softer than he had before, his voice betraying his sorrow─no matter how hard the monster attempted to conceal it.

The young human’s eyes softened.  _ No... you would care. That’s what happened with Chara, right? _ But they refused to voice their thoughts. Flowey would only reprimand them for saying such things before giving them the silent treatment as punishment.

So, instead, they sat there in uneasy silence. It wasn’t long before the sweet yet spicy, earthen smell of the cinnamon and the sweet, milky caramel fragrance of the butterscotch wafted into the living room, easily capturing the attention of the human. They inhaled the mixture of sweet aromas, closing their eyes and humming in delight. Their feet swung back and forth as they awaited the arrival of the pie, their fingers drumming on the table in a quiet rhythm as their excitement skyrocketed.

Then, Toriel appeared. In her hands, was a sweet-smelling pie. She set it down before the human child and rushed back to grab a plate and a fork for the human and a knife to cut the pie with. The moment she returned with the knife Frisk stiffened.

The flashback arose in their mind’s eye.

_ She held the knife in her hand, its point dangerously near their eye. “Don’t you  _ ever _ do that again! You hear me?! I swear, if I  _ ever _ see you do that again, I’ll  _ kill _ you!” _

“Frisk?” Toriel’s voice broke through the haze. “Are you alright, my child?”

Their eyes flicked toward the blade before meeting her concerned gaze. They forced a smile onto their lips, the joy in their expression never reaching their eyes. “I’m f-fine.” They mentally cursed themselves for stuttering, fearing it gave away their terror.

“Are you sure?” she pressed. “You look a little pale, little one. Are you sick?”

“I-I’m fine, really. It’s nothing,” they persisted, struggling to push away the horrible memory.

The goat monster frowned but accepted their answer regardless of her high suspicions that they were lying to her. “Very well. But, please, do let me know if something bothers you, my child. Understand?”

Though she spoke quietly, they could still see their own mother reflected in her. The calm before the storm─concerning herself over them before lashing out at them like they meant nothing to her. It was the one thing that kept them on their feet around their mother. They never knew when would be the next time she’d strike out at them. And, to see that in Toriel... they began losing hope in the Underground being any different from the world above.

They were jolted out of their memories when Toriel set a plate of pie in front of them, a slightly crooked smile on her face. They noticed her hand tighten around the handle of the knife and her jaw clenched, her grin becoming strained. Her eyes became overshadowed and─

_ Thamp! _

The knife was embedded deep into the table’s surface.

Frisk jumped out of their seat from fright, nearly sprawling all over the floor from the suddenness of it all. They stared, wide-eyed in terror at the monster, her fingers still tightly gripped around the handle of the kitchen knife.

Her grip disappeared and she withdrew her hand so quickly it appeared as if the handle had burned her, a gasp escaping her lips. “I’m sorry. Excuse me, my child,” she blurted out and rushed out of the room. She disappeared down the hall, muttering to herself, clearly agitated.

Frisk exchanged a glance with Flowey, their expression a mixture of confusion and worry.

“What’s up with  _ her? _ ” the golden flower mumbled, raising an eyebrow.

Frisk shrugged, their eyes dropping to the surface of the table. Their eyes honed in on the numerous slashes carved into the surface of the tabletop, the telltale signs that this wasn’t the first time Toriel had done such a thing. They frowned. They’d known there was something wrong with Toriel the moment they’d met her, but they didn’t believe it’d be  _ this _ bad. The last time they’d stayed with her─before she killed them the first time─she’d acted normally... at first. Of course, once they’d asked when they could leave the Ruins, she...

Their dissatisfaction deepened. Now, she seemed to be in an even worse state than last time, talking to herself and trying not to crack under whatever pressure she was under. Whatever it was that was causing her such pain... they knew it wouldn’t disappear anytime soon. If that was the case... they couldn’t stay very much longer, lest they’d end up like the table─full of stab marks.

Shaking their head, they told themselves that it was probably nothing. That it was most likely their presence─as the first child she’d encountered in many years─that was causing her great distress. They remembered Flowey telling them all about Toriel’s first children and how she had lost them both without ever knowing why. And in the same day, too. Something like that would drive most people mad. It certainly did that to their mother...

Frisk barely registered the fact that they’d been playing with their food until they heard Flowey trying to get their attention, calling their name. They jumped a little, the flower’s loud voice ringing in their ear.

“Pay attention, will ya?” the flower hissed, irritated. “Now, c’mon! Let’s get outta here before Toriel finds out!”

It looked like they weren’t the only one being stubborn.

“Can’t. It’d be rude to leave,” they stated once more, reluctant to cause Toriel any more trouble than they already had. “Don’t wanna run away again. Not after apologizing.”

The monster on their shoulder let out an exasperated sigh. “You and your politeness. That’s gonna getcha killed, you know.”

“Don’t care,” they retorted, beginning to pout. Why was Flowey so demanding? Why did he want to leave so badly? There’s nothing bad with staying with Toriel for a little while longer, right? Unless if he’s got some bad memories from this place...

Despite knowing that staying would only prolong their time in the Underground, they felt guilty whenever they thought about leaving Toriel behind without at least saying goodbye. Maybe they could leave a note and sneak away while she was sleeping?

No. They already tried that before. She had escorted them back upstairs by the hand before they could make it halfway to the door. How she had heard them then, they would never know. All they knew was that she heard them, and caught them.

That was the one good thing about their ability to remember things that happened before their death, though. They could learn from their mistakes and improvise as they went, with Flowey being the only monster able to remember as much as they did. Since that was the case, they had only two options left if they wanted to finally get out of the Ruins: kill Toriel, or convince her to let them go. They knew that they couldn’t─for the life of them─murder anyone, even if it’d get them killed if they didn’t. That meant they had to find a way to get her to let them pass─without dying first. And that... would take longer than either of them were willing to suffer through.

“How about this,” Flowey began after a few moments of silence. “We find a book that’ll tell us some sort of potion that’ll make Toriel fall asleep for a while. We’ll mix it in with the pie batter and bake her a pie as a way of saying ‘thank you’. Then, when she’s asleep, we’ll make a run for it. Sound good?”

Frisk pondered over the suggestion. They wouldn’t have to kill Toriel, or end up dying who-knows-how-many-times before convincing her to let them go, if they did agree to this. However, they’d have to leave a note, at least, saying that they appreciated all of her efforts of making them feel at home, and explain that they just couldn’t stall any longer. That they  _ had _ to move on, even if it meant hurting her in the end.

Yeah. That sounded right.

They nodded, their eyes trained on the empty hallway to their right. They could hear Toriel’s voice shift in pitch, sometimes louder, other times softer. It was like she was having an argument with someone but was trying not to yell.

“We’ll stay with Toriel for now. We’ll wait until tomorrow. No longer than that, got it?”

They absentmindedly nodded, still wondering what Toriel was up to. Their mind wandered back to Toriel’s defensive behavior toward the idea of them leaving. What was behind that door that made the Underground so dangerous? Did Flowey know about it? Seeing as how much he wanted to get away, they wouldn’t have been surprised if he did.

“Hey, Flowey,” Frisk said, taking a small bite of the butterscotch-cinnamon pie. “Do you know why Toriel doesn’t want me to leave? I─I mean, other than the whole ‘losing her children’ thing. Is there something beyond the door that scares her? Something... dangerous?”

They waited patiently for the flower to answer, slowly eating away at the dessert. The pie melted in their mouth, the sweet and spicy flavor drawing out a satisfied hum from the human. Unable to resist it any longer, they dug in with gusto, no longer burdened by the darker memories that had lingered over their thoughts earlier.

“She, uh...”

They stopped abruptly, ears perking up at the sound of Flowey’s voice.

“After the Ruins... there’s an entire civilization,” he uttered lowly, almost as if he were afraid Toriel was eavesdropping on them around the corner. He glanced over at the doorway, half expecting the goat monster to burst in on their conversation and stop him before he told too much─as was usually the case when he began telling the children about the rest of the Underground.

Sighing, he started once more. “There’s Snowdin just outside the gates. It’s a place covered in snow─hence the name─and it’s pretty dangerous, considering the monsters that roam the area. Anyway, the only way through that place is across a really long bridge.”

“But, why─”

“Trust me. I know.” His gaze darkened, as if he were remembering some darker memories. “The other kids before you tried to find another way around. Let’s just say... they had to reset.”

“‘Reset’?” Frisk echoed, brows furrowing in confusion. “So they... died?”

“Yeah. Something like that. Just like you did.”

“Oh. Is that what it’s called? Resetting?”

Flowey inclined his head. “Kinda like a video game. When you die, you come back to your last save point.”

Frisk’s hand crawled up toward the left side of their neck, where the scabbed-over scar still resided. It burned a little at their touch, but it wasn’t as bad when they first got it. “Did all of them get a scar like me?” they muttered, more to themselves than the golden flower.

“Not that I know of...” The talking plant shook his head, answering despite the fact that Frisk hadn’t expected a reply. “I don’t think any of the other ones had your problem, specifically. But... the kid with Kindness had something similar. Something with flowers... I think. And the Bravery kid... I think there’s was these dark splotches that appeared every time they had to reset. The others... they didn’t last long enough for me to see anything unusual. That, or I wasn’t with them half the time.”

Frisk only nodded. It was strange. Every one of the humans before them had a similar issue of their own. One had a flower for every death. Another had dark splotches. And they themselves had scars. But... what  _ caused _ these things? Was it for every close call they had with death? When they were so close to moving on to the afterlife, something pulled them back and left a mark because of it?

They began to toy with the idea that they had a close call with death, the scythe of the grim reaper leaving a mark as he attempted to reap their soul but failed because they were yanked back to life too soon. A bittersweet yet amused grin twitched at their lips at the thought. If that were the case... then it made dying a little more bearable─for them, at least. Though it may have been a cruel way of looking at it, it still eased their mind, even if it was only a little bit.

“I’m sorry for leaving you alone so suddenly,” Toriel said as she walked in, the floorboards creaking beneath her weight, and harshly tore out the knife from the tabletop, the wood groaning as she used her other hand for leverage. It almost sounded like the wood was crying out for mercy...

Frisk shuddered, their mind flashing back to what happened only several minutes ago. They watched her warily, eyes burning into the back of her skull as she disappeared into the kitchen, only to come back with a plate and fork of her own. They hadn’t realized it until now that Toriel had cut herself a slice beforehand, the piece sitting atop the plate she brought in.

She stabbed the utensil into the pie and ate a small piece, her lips curling upward into a gentle smile. She glanced over at Frisk from time to time as they started to pick away at their half-eaten slice, taking tiny bites here and there. Though she attempted to make the moment seem a little less... strained... with a few encouraging smiles toward the human and some attempts at a conversation─which failed quite miserably─the atmosphere still remained tense.

Frisk was on edge, expecting her to suddenly burst out into a fit of rage. If she was anything like their mother... their only choice would be to run as fast and as far as they could from her. It was the only way they avoided their mother’s wrath when they still lived with her.

Speaking of their mother, they wondered if she was okay. She lost her husband when they were little due to an argument gone horribly wrong and now, she lost her only child. A look of guilt crossed their face. Even if she treated them terribly... they always knew she was lonely and depressed─even if she’d never admit it for the life of her. And... since she acted so badly when their father left... How was she fairing now, with them gone?

Frisk shook their head and started eating again. It was too late of a time to think about such things.

They suddenly yawned, exhaustion washing over them. Though the Underground had no way of telling time above ground, their body told them it was time to go to bed. Even though they didn’t want to─fearing Toriel might kill them in their sleep because of her erratic condition─they knew they couldn’t stay up all night. Their young mind wouldn’t let them.

Toriel, noticing Frisk’s weariness, announced it was bedtime and led them to their room─the same one they had before. They bid the goat monster a quiet goodnight and sat down on the bed, glancing around the room. It hadn’t changed at all since the last time they visited. Everything was in the same place as they remembered, though they couldn’t figure out why this room stood out to them this much. Maybe it was because of Toriel’s past and the pain tied to it? The pain both her and their mother shared?

They sighed, deciding it wasn’t of great importance. Besides, they had to go through with Flowey’s plan and go to this “Snowed-in” place─whatever it was called. And, as much as they hated abandoning Toriel like this, they could only take so much of the flower’s insistent nagging.

Setting Flowey onto the nightstand, they flopped back onto the bed with a huff and hummed in satisfaction. A smile curled at their lips. It felt so good to sleep in a bed again. They wouldn’t mind staying here another day...

_ Just one night _ , they reminded themselves, their eyes glued to the ceiling as their brows furrowed.  _ Just one night. Then, we’ll get out of here. Just like I promised Flowey. _

But, still. Something didn’t sit right with them.

Though they wanted nothing more than a place to call home, they knew this wasn’t the place. Toriel reminded them too much of their own mother, someone they’d rather avoid for a little while longer, if they could manage it. Although they loved their mother as much as any child would, they needed a break from all the madness. It was beginning to get to them and there was only so much they could take.

Rolling onto their side, their back toward Flowey, they pouted to themselves.  _ Why does this have to be so hard? Why can’t I just let go of mom and live the life I always wanted: free of constant shouting, free of all the pain and punishment, free of her never-ending reprimands. Why can’t I just be free from all this suffering for once? _

They let out a deep exhale, their indignance dropping as their mind eased itself into a calmer state.  _ I’m sorry, Toriel, but this is the only way. This is the only way I’ll see the sun again. And, maybe... this time... I’ll finally be free. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, I may have referenced a bit of Flowerfell and Heavenfell in my chapter. Neither of them are my own stories, but I still enjoy them very much and find it heartbreaking that Flowerfell had to be taken down after one too many (that's an understatement...) people reposting their story without asking for permission first or giving the author credit for it.
> 
> If you wish to reference my work or even repost it, please ask for my permission or--at the very least--give me credit. I work hard on this story and, although my chapters may be posted at random intervals, I would hate to see others steal my work without the least bit of acknowledgement toward me.
> 
> Thank you for all your support!


	5. Mistake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tables have turned. Oh, my!
> 
> Toriel's and Frisk's relationship blossoms. What will come of this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! Sorry it took so long to update! School's been a mess and I haven't had much time to work on the story. Thanks for being so patient with me and I hope you guys enjoy another chapter of Frisk's journey through the Underground!
> 
> Please don't hesitate to leave me a comment telling me how I did. Let me know what you liked about this chapter and what you think will happen next! (You'll know what I mean toward the end of the chapter)
> 
> Thank you so much for all of your support! And remember, Stay Determined! ;P

Flowey awoke slowly, grumbling to himself as his mind registered the noise. He was about to complain to Frisk about the commotion, but stopped abruptly when he heard a sob escape their lips. His head snapped up and he watched the human as they squirmed and writhed across the bed. They thrashed around, throwing the quilt onto the floor, and curled up into a ball. He noticed them wince in their sleep, dodging blows that he couldn’t see. It was almost as if they were being beaten.

The golden flower’s perplexed expression morphed into a frown.  _ What are they dreaming about? _ he wondered. Worry began to gnaw at the back of his mind, but he pushed it away, scolding himself for worrying so much over a  _ human _ . However, he couldn’t stop the anxiety trickling into the depths of his heart.

Something was wrong. He knew it.

Flowey scooted closer toward the edge of the nightstand, watching the human twist and turn in their sleep. He hesitantly reached out a vine, wondering if he should bother them at all. He edged closer and─

Frisk shot up with a gasp.

“Gha!”

Flowey lost his grip and fell off the nightstand. He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the impact but... it never came. He opened his eyes to see Frisk holding out their arms, his small body cradled in their cupped hands. They brought him closer to themselves, placing him on their lap.

“Are you okay?” they asked, concern marring their features.

The question nearly made him pause. Flowey glowered at them, a frown twisting at his lips as he fought to hide his shock. “Ask yourself that, kid.  _ You’re  _ the one having problems here.”

“‘Problems’...?” they repeated, confused. Then, it dawned on them. “Oh. That. That... that’s nothing.” They mustered up a crooked smile, though it was painfully obvious it was fake.

“How can  _ that _ be nothing?!” Flowey burst out, bewildered. “You were literally  _ crying _ in your sleep!” His hands─leaves, really─shot outward, physically expressing his aggravation. As he spoke, he gestured toward their face, where wet trails of tears still lingered.

They touched their cheek, feeling the cooling dampness against their skin. They said nothing.

“What? Not gonna say anything?” Flowey demanded, huffing in indignation. He grumbled under his breath before shaking his head and requesting to be put back onto the nightstand.

Frisk hesitated. There was conflict written all over their face.

Finally, they complied.

Flowey turned his back on them. He crossed his arms over his stem and slouched in anger, gritting his teeth.

In the silence, he heard them mutter a soft, “Goodnight.”

He didn’t reply.

XXXXXX

The next morning was difficult for Frisk.

Although they had gotten enough rest, despite all the tears they shed and all the nightmares that woke them up more than enough times throughout the night, they were still drowsy. Their tired mind could think of nothing but Flowey’s frustrations last night─the way the flower turned his back on them when they refused to spill their secrets, his dissatisfied expression, and the tense silence that followed.

Even now, he was still angry at them. Still slouched in the same place they left him.

They were surprised he was even  _ awake _ .

They shook their head, saddened.  _ He wouldn’t understand. No one does. _

Frisk’s mind leaped back to the first time they spoke to Toriel,  _ before _ she killed them one reset ago. A cold shiver passed down their spine as their mind conjured up the flashbacks of their death.

When they had first met Toriel and spoken with her, they saw nothing more than a heartbroken mother only wanting to help them with their sudden transition into the Underground. So it didn’t take long for their tongue to slip up and their story to blurt itself out to the woman. And so, she pitied them. Just like everyone else always did. Nothing but sweet words and overwhelming amounts of pie.

Until they asked to leave.

And that’s how they ended up dying.

Frisk shook their head. They tried to dispel the memory, but it clung to the edge of their mind, reminding them of who Toriel really was. Reminding them of what she did and will do again.

Until they finally leave the Ruins.

XXXXXX

Toriel knew something was wrong when the human child she harbored refused to leave their room the next morning. She tried knocking on the door and asking if she could come in, but Frisk didn’t answer. As she peeked in, she noticed them lying on the bed, their back toward her. Though she couldn’t tell if they were sleeping or not, she let them be.

_ They need some time to adjust _ , she told herself.  _ It’s always hard to adapt to the conditions of the Ruins. It’s much darker than the surface, after all. It always makes the children sleep longer than they need to. _

**Is that really it? Are you** **_sure_ ** **you aren’t lying to yourself just to make yourself feel better?** that familiar, dark voice whispered in her ear.  **Face it. They’re depressed. Just like all the others. And it’s all** **_your_ ** **fault! You just can’t let them go, can you?** A bone-chilling laugh followed.  **It’s just like before. And it’ll happen again, just like it was with the last child.**

As Toriel opened her mouth to protest, anger boiling in her stomach, the disembodied voice interrupted her.

**Oh, don’t give me those lies, Mother! You keep saying them again and again and, yet─what happens? They die all the same!**

“Shut up!” Toriel growled lowly, her hands curling into fists. “They are not like that! This one is different! So, shut up and leave us alone!”

The voice humphed, as if shrugging.  **Alright... but don’t be surprised when it happens again,** **_Mother_ ** **. After all, those who don’t learn from their history are** **_bound_ ** **to repeat it.**

Then, it was gone.

_ That... was too easy _ , Toriel mused.  _ I’ve always had to shout at it for it to go away. Why did it give up so easily  _ now? _ Was it something I said? _

As she pondered over this, she failed to notice the presence behind her until the floorboards creaked and shifted beneath their weight. She turned around, wondering who it might be and came face-to-face with the human, their dark irises gazing up at her. Flowey was nowhere to be seen on them.

_ Strange. I always thought he would be with them everywhere they went... _ She shook off the thought and beamed down at them warmly.

Although her lips bore a smile, her brows furrowed in concern, her eyes darting all over the young child. Their lips were carved into a placid grin and their eyes were dull, saddened. Though she didn’t know why.

“Good morning, my child,” Toriel greeted them kindly. She was about to ask if they were alright, but something about their eyes... the way they looked at her... made her pause. It was clear they weren’t going to tell her anything.

Instead, she smiled brightly and held out her hand to them. “Come, my child. I will read you a book. You like to read books, right?”

Their lips parted slightly in surprise, as if expecting a different inquiry, but it quickly melted into a small grin. They nodded, taking her hand, their eyes flicking over to the flower crown she still wore atop her head, a soft warmth in their dark irises.

“Wonderful! Now, what kind of books do you like to read?”

XXXXXX

A sense of relief flooded through Frisk. They knew Toriel wanted to ask─just as any sensible mother would─but they were glad she didn’t press the subject. It was... nice. And, to see her wear the flower crown they made for her, made their heart nearly burst with pride and joy and love and─and...

Their smile faded a little. _And soon... I’ll be leaving her behind,_ they thought sorrowfully. Frisk glanced back up at her again, covering up their doubts with a happy grin. _But... I’ll make it up to you, Toriel. I promise. Once I’m free from the Underground, I promise I’ll find a way to free you, too. And then, we’ll live together in a little cottage near the mountain_ _with Flowey and all the other monsters and_ ─ _and, together, we’ll teach them... teach them to be kind. I promise. I won’t let you be alone forever. I won’t let you down._ They could feel their Determination returning, a bright flame rekindling in their eyes. _I promise this on my life. I’ll free you, too, someday. Just wait for me until I do._

They watched as Toriel sat down in the rocking chair near the shelves of books and gestured to the bookcase, nodding. “Go ahead. Choose a book that you would like to read with me,” she said. There was no edge to her words, no threat of a break down, no tension. It was... strange and it certainly didn’t  _ sound _ like the Toriel they first knew. She didn’t ask questions, didn’t offer them pie, didn’t ask where Flowey was and she was being absolutely...  _ sane _ . It was  _ weird _ ... but nice.

Regardless, they turned their attention to the rows upon rows of book spines, their eyes skimming over the titles. There were books about planets, books about animals and humans, books about monsters, books about cooking, books about snails, books about pla─

Wait.  _ Snails? _

Frisk’s gaze locked onto the strange book title of  _ 101 Facts About Snails _ .

_ Why is Toriel so fascinated about  _ snails?  _ They’re nothing but slimy things that crawl really, really slowly. What’s so interesting about  _ them?

They eyed the dozen or so tomes that included snails in the title, a look of disgust flashing across their face when they found a book about how to  _ cook _ with  _ snails _ .

A cold shiver passed down their spine.  _ Is that why Toriel asked me if I wanted to eat snail pie? Does she  _ eat _ snail pie? _

“Frisk, child, have you chosen your book yet?” the woman inquired softly.

They glanced over at her for a moment before shaking their head and going back to the shelves of books. Their eyes wandered around for a few moments before their attention zeroed in on a particular tome:  _ Monster Botany: The Encyclopedia of Plants in the Underground _ .

_ Right... Flowey wanted me to figure out which plant would make Toriel fall asleep so we can finally escape the Ruins...  _ Frisk sighed through their nose.  _ Guess there’s no other way out... _

They grasped the tome, having to stand on their tiptoes just to reach it, and walked back over to the woman, book in hand. They offered it up to her.

Toriel’s hands made their way toward the tome but passed it and grabbed them gently by the waist. Frisk stiffened, the beginnings of a struggle taking over their body, and jolted in surprise when she sat them down onto her lap, their back pressing against her chest gently.

“Now, let’s begin, shall we?” Toriel beamed down at them with a warm, motherly grin.

Frisk could see nothing but affection and contentment in her dark irises. Their heart blossomed with newfound warmth and a hesitant smile tugged at the corners of their lips.  _ I could stay here with Toriel, _ they thought, their gaze turning to the book in their hands.  _ I don’t have to leave her alone. I can just live in the Ruins. _

But, deep in the depths of their heart, they knew that wasn’t true. They knew they wouldn’t last here much longer. They needed to see the sunlight again. Needed to feel the wind blow through their hair. Wanted to see the numerous sunsets and sunrises they always took for granted before. They laughed quietly to themselves, their eyes slipping shut.  _ When you’ve seen things everyday for almost your entire life, it’s no wonder I’d take such things for granted. _ They closed their eyes momentarily.  _ No wonder I’m getting so depressed... And, besides, she’ll probably kill me once she’s no longer interested _ ─

“Ah, here we go.” The goat monster’s voice jolted them out of their musings, their eyes snapping back open. “The table of contents.” She flipped open the book to the first few pages, scanning over them. She had taken the book from their hands without them noticing it. Frisk nearly jolted in surprise from the realization. “Let’s see what we have here...” She slipped on a pair of spectacles and proceeded to read aloud the sections in the book.

Each title mentioned the area in which certain plants grew. Some of the names Frisk recognized, such as Snowdin and the Ruins, but others, like Waterfall and the Hotlands, were new to them.

They asked Toriel about them, wondering what kind of places they were.

Considering Snowdin was named after its wintery climate, they figured Waterfall was a swampy area or populated by waterfalls, and the Hotlands was a place with lava or maybe fire, or even a place surrounded by intense heat.

Toriel only brushed them off, telling them that they were places far away from here and that they shouldn’t worry themselves over such things.

Frisk frowned. They knew that wasn’t true.

If what Flowey had told them was true, then Snowdin was just past the Ruin doors. And, if what they heard from the flower was genuine, they knew that the only way out was to go up. And, to go up, they had to leave the Ruins.

Their attention turned back to the pages Toriel was reading. Some of them she skipped, claiming that they weren’t important. However, Frisk caught a glimpse of a violet flower and the word “sleep”.

_ That’s it! _ they silently exclaimed.  _ That’ll help us put Toriel to sleep! _

Excitement fluttered in their stomach and, yet, a sense of dread grew in their heart. They were going to leave Toriel, the one person that showed them mercy, took care of them. The one woman, who, unless if asked to let them leave the Ruins, would do  _ anything _ to keep them happy and safe. The only one who cared for them so openly.

_ I’m sorry _ , they thought, glancing up at Toriel discreetly,  _ but, one day, you’ll understand why I had to do this. I just... hope you can still forgive me after this. _

They stayed silent for a few moments longer, closing their eyes as they listened to Toriel’s sweet voice. It nearly lulled them to sleep. However, their mind quickly turned them back to their task. They  _ needed _ to get back to Flowey.

“Mama, I─” They clamped their mouth shut.  _ Did I just  _ say _ that?! Oh my god! She’s never going to let me go after this! _

“Ma... ma...?” Toriel echoed slowly, eyes wide with bewilderment. Tears began to prick the corners of her eyes. She glanced down at the inwardly-panicking child.

A tense silence blanketed the room.

After what seemed like an eternity, Toriel finally burst into joyful laughter. “Oh, my child! My dear, dear child! I did not realize you felt that way toward me!” She dropped the book, the heavy volume toppling to the floor, and swept them up into a tight embrace. There were tears of joy streaming from her eyes, soaking her fur. “Oh my...” She sighed in delight but there was still a distant wistfulness in her voice. “I...” He grip relaxed on Frisk, setting them back down onto her lap. “...haven’t been called that... for a long time...”

Frisk could see the old sorrow from a hundred years ago return in her crimson irises, a phantom pain of the loss she felt all those decades ago. A pang of guilt hit their heart as they realized what their departure would mean to her now.

Thinking of her as a mother and staying with her for a few days was one thing but, calling her “Mama” and abandoning her the next, was something else. Something worse than losing her children to the wrath of the humans.

Their heart sank, their smile cracking.  _ Oh, god. What have I done? _ A chasm of despair formed in their chest, tightening their lungs until they almost couldn’t breathe.  _ It’s going to do more than break her heart now. It’s going to  _ kill _ her. Now I’ll never get out of the Underground. I’ll never be able to free Toriel and Flowey from this dark prison. _

“However...” Toriel spoke up again after a few, long moments of recollection. “...if... if you wish to call me such...” She wiped away her tears and a genuine smile formed across her lips. “...I will be more than happy to be your mother.”

Although their heart elated at the idea of Toriel being their surrogate mother, their mind pined otherwise.  _ The more attached you get, the harder it’ll be to leave! _ their inner voice scolded them.  _ Just follow the plan and get out of here before it’s too late! _

“You... you don’t have to...” they protested softly, avoiding Toriel’s gaze.

“But I want to,” the woman replied, lifting their chin up so Frisk could stare into her eyes. Her voice was sincere, her eyes full of gentle warmth. “I know that I have been a bit... difficult... but I  _ want _ to do this. I  _ want  _ to be your mother─even if I’m not the one who gave you life─and I  _ want _ to be here for you when no one else bothered to.”

Their breath hitched.  _ She knows?! Is it really that obvious...? _

“And...” Toriel pulled them into a hug, resting her head atop theirs. “...I want you to remember, my child, to never give up. To never give in when everything around you is falling apart.” She pulled away, holding them by the shoulders gently. “Please... promise me you will never let yourself fall down like that, no matter what happens. Because the moment you start to doubt yourself and tell yourself ‘it’s too hard’ or ‘I can’t do this’, is the moment you break. And, once you break, it will be even harder to pull yourself back together.”

Frisk’s lips parted in surprise.  _ Never... give in...? Break... apart...? _

“Will you promise me this, my child?”

They nodded numbly, wondering when Toriel became so...  _ normal _ . So... wise and... and  _ reasonable _ . Where was the inner conflict in her eyes? Where was the shaky grip and the dilated pupils? Where was her hidden anger? Her sorrow? Her pain?

It was as if it was all... gone.

Just like that.

“Thank you,” their newfound mother muttered, pressing her lips against Frisk’s forehead.

They blushed a light pink, their heart fluttering from embarrassment.  _ Mother never did that, _ they mused.  _ She never showed me anything like this. Does that mean she isn’t my mother? That Toriel is my real mom? _ Frisk smiled lightly. _ That sounds kinda nice... _

“Now, come with me, my child. I shall teach you how to bake my famous butterscotch-cinnamon pie.” She set them back onto the hardwood floor, stashed away the book they were previously reading─which had laid abandoned on the floor─and offered her hand to them.

They hesitantly took it, wondering if they should follow her. It was already hard enough to leave the Ruins as it was. This would make it nearly  _ impossible _ .

However, against their better judgement, they decided to go with it. Frisk absolutely  _ hated _ seeing Toriel in pain. And leaving her would be the  _ last _ thing they’d ever want to do but, seeing as there was no other way, they went for it.

_ Just a little longer and I’ll be free, _ they told themselves.  _ Just a little while longer... _

XXXXXX

“Now, we just add a little bit of milk,” Toriel instructed. “You do  _ not _ want to add  _ too much _ milk, or else─”

A cloud of flour covered her nose and eyes, the small particles of crushed grain sticking to her fur and interrupting her explanation. She heard them before she saw them, blinking the white powder out of her temporarily blinded eyes.

Frisk was barely able to stand up straight, laughing to the point of a stomach ache and gasping for breath as their lungs begged for relief. But, the moment they saw her dissatisfied expression and the flour covering over half her face, they burst.

Toriel’s frown morphed into a mischievous expression, a playful glint in her eyes. “Oh, so you think  _ that _ is funny?” she began, inconspicuously scooping up some flour herself. “Take this!” She tossed the white powder at their face and his them point-blank in the nose and eyes.

Frisk lost their balance and, with a surprised cry, toppled off their stool and onto the floor. They lay there for a few moments, their brain yet to realize what had happened. They barely noticed Toriel appearing by their side until their mind cleared and everything came back to them. Instead of crying or complaining about the pain radiating from their back and head, they erupted into a fit of boisterous laughter.

Toriel began to panic─her expression said it all─and wondered if she had, indeed, broken the child. To her relief, they were fine─or so Frisk claimed.

“That was─that was fun,” Frisk remarked breathlessly.

“No! No, it was  _ not _ !” the woman exclaimed. “You─you could have gotten hurt! Or─or─”

“Mama.” Frisk's tone was firm, serious. “It's okay. I forgive you. It just means I have to dodge faster next time.” They could barely hold back the grin threatening to break out on their face. It became too much when they saw Toriel's disbelieving expression. They burst out laughing again. “Bwahaha! You look so f-funny! Hahahaha!”

The former queen tried to frown, but Frisk's laughter was too contagious and she found herself chuckling along with them. Her chuckling became stronger, more sincere, the longer they laughed, a weight lifting off of both their chests. Out of sheer euphoria, she swept them into her arms. Their small body was still shaking with the last few giggles they could muster, but it stopped abruptly when she whispered something into their ear.

“Thank you,” Toriel muttered. “Thank you for giving me hope again. Thank you, my child.”

Frisk wrapped their arms around her neck and momentarily tightened their embrace. “You're welcome, Toriel.” They pulled themselves away to arm's length and pressed a kiss on her cheek. “Thank you for being my Mama.”

“Oh!” Frisk swore they could see Toriel blush under her fur. “W-well... You're welcome, too.”

Frisk smiled brightly. They grasped her hands and tugged her up. “Now, come on! Let’s finish the pie!”

The woman grinned. “Of course, my child. Anything for you.”

With that, they got back to work.

XXXXXX

Frisk could smell the sweet scent of the butterscotch-cinnamon pie as it baked. They couldn’t  _ wait _ until they’d try some more of Toriel’s─sorry,  _ Mama’s _ ─delicious pie! They swung their feet back and forth as they sat at the table, wondering how much longer it would take before they’d have their first piece of pie that morning.

As Frisk glanced around, they realized something─no, some _ one _ ─was missing.  _ Where’d Flowey go? Is he still in the bedroom? _ Their curiosity led them back to the red-themed room that they slept in last night. However, they couldn’t find the golden flower anywhere.

Although panic made their heart flutter, they took a deep breath to keep themselves from freaking out.  _ He must’ve just wandered off _ , Frisk thought.  _ Besides, he’s much stronger _ ─ _ and faster and meaner _ ─ _ than me, so he can take care of himself. I don’t think very many monsters down here would be willing to pick a fight with him anyway. _

The thought pleased the child, their chest loosening up. Though they knew little of what Flowey could do─considering he had never attacked anyone down here─they were confident that he’d be back soon, relatively unharmed. All they had to do was wait, right?

But, as the hours passed and neither Frisk nor Toriel had seen any sign of the golden flower, the two of them grew worried. Anxious enough to abandon the pie to their thoughts. Frisk tried to read more about the violet flower they had glimpsed before, but they kept reading the same line over and over, their mind unable to focus. Though Frisk knew Flowey could take care of himself, they found themselves worrying over the plant regardless. He was their guide. Their reluctant friend. Their  _ only _ friend.

At some point, Toriel and Frisk ended up searching the entire Underground together, their concern only growing the longer Flowey remained missing. By the time they reached the hole from which Frisk had first fallen through, the child collapsed onto their knees, the beginnings of tears welling up in their eyes.

_ He’s gone. Because of me, _ they whimpered to themselves.  _ He’s gone and he’s never coming back! _ The tears finally began to fall. Once the first few slipped past their eyelids, there was little they could do to stop the onslaught that followed.

Toriel knelt beside them, asking feverishly what the problem was, but their throat tightened and they couldn’t get a single word out. Instead, they doubled over onto their hands and knees and cried their little heart out.

“He’s gone, Mama,” Frisk sobbed. “Gone because of me!” Their voice cracked with the last word, guilt bubbling up in their stomach. “I─I’m s-sorry!”

“Hush, child,” Toriel cooed, stroking the top of their head. “It will be alright. Whatever happened is not your fau─”

“But it is!” they cried, their head snapping up so that they could look her straight in the eyes. “He─he got m-mad at me! He j-just want-ted to help a-and I didn’t l-let him!” Frisk sniffled, let out a whine and buried their face back into Toriel’s stomach. “Please...” they sniffled. “C-come back, F-Flowey. I─I’m so-sorry...”

XXXXXX

While they wept into Toriel’s robes, the woman pet their head gently, rubbing their back absentmindedly. She didn't know what to say. What  _ was _ there to say? Frisk just lost the only friend that they had in the Underground and had no one but Toriel to depend on now.

How cruel could a monster be to abandon a child like Frisk?

_ A monster like Flowey _ , she bitterly remarked. Why the child still associated themselves with the flower, Toriel didn’t know. They could’ve left the plant a long time ago and set off on their own. Instead, Frisk stuck with him and endured Flowey’s cold nature, staying with him even when he chastised them for everything they did.  _ They are quite the Determined child, _ she mused to herself.  _ It might be why they’ve lasted this long... _

A change formed in Toriel’s heart at the thought. She pondered over the possibilities that came with the next group of thoughts, her brows furrowing as she contemplated them.  _ If I make them promise me... then they should be fine, right? Their Determination will surely pull them through all this. At least... I hope it will. _

She nodded to herself and made up her mind.

“Child,” she began, “let’s go home and hope that Flowey came back. Maybe he went out searching for something and came back to find us gone?”

Frisk perked up at her suggestion. They nodded enthusiastically, wiping away their tears. The human child took her hand when she offered it to them and they made their way back through the Ruins.

Monsters watched them pass by, their eyes following the mother and child. None of them, however, dared to approach, fearing the woman’s wrath. Had they come any closer than they did, Toriel would’ve surely struck them down without a moment’s thought.

It didn’t take them long to reach her house and, when they did, they found Flowey decorating the pie with an assortment of flowers.

“Flowey!” Frisk cried, rushing over to the golden flower and sweeping him into a fierce hug.

“Gah! Don’t do that, idiot!” the plant spat, glowering at them.

The human child let him go and started to question him as the flower finished up decorating the pie. Flowey brushed off their inquiries with vague answers, prompting even more questions than he wanted to respond to. It became clear the flower had no intentions revealing his whereabouts, to Frisk’s disappointment.

“Ooh... Pretty...” Frisk cooed, brushing a finger gently against a yellow petal.

Flowey scowled at the human child and was about to do something, but thought something against it and turned back to the pie.

The flowers that decorated the pie were strange and brightly colored. Toriel didn’t remember ever seeing them in the Ruins. Maybe they grew in the cracks between the rocks? Or in places she hadn’t found yet?

“Here.” Flowey pressed a small plate with a slice of the pie into her hands.

She hesitantly took it, examining the violet flower perched atop the dessert. It certainly was a beautiful flower, but...

“Don’t worry. It’s edible,” the golden flower bluntly pointed out. “Go on. Try it.”

Something didn’t sound right. Something about Flowey’s tone...

Regardless, she shrugged and took the first bite.

Wouldn’t hurt to try, right?

XXXXXX

Dust.

On the floor.

On their hands.

In their eyes.

In their very pores.

It stained their skin.

It was...  _ everywhere _ .

A broken plate lay on the floor, shattered to pieces. The remains of the pie lay crumpled on the hardwood floor. The fork clattered to the ground along with it, falling into a gap between the floorboards.

All around them was dust.

A broken wail filled their ears. It took them a moment before they realized it was their own screams. A cry of torment. Of pain. They were calling out her name.

Their knees cracked against the floorboards but the pain was nothing compared to the mental torment they faced now. Tears streamed down their face, collecting the dust as it went. Their agonized wailing only grew louder.

They curled up into themselves, crumpling onto their side, and cried their little heart out. They babbled her name on and on and on, an endless mantra of quivering hope. She wasn’t gone! She  _ couldn’t _ be gone! She was their mother! Mothers aren’t supposed to  _ die _ like this... r-right?

They could barely breathe. Their lungs gasped for air. Their body shuddered as another torrent of sobs and screams lept unbidden past their lips. They could barely see, tears blurring their vision. Their mind, deprived of oxygen, struggled to reconstruct the reality that befell them. That surrounded them.

And yet, all they could see was her smile.

Her warm, glowing eyes.

Her pure, welcoming, gentle soul.

Her warm yet strange, furry hands.

And those tapering horns...

Everything that made her... Toriel.

Everything that made her... their mother.

_ It’s... it’s all fake... right? It’s all a dream, right?! _

They couldn’t stop the tears.

Couldn’t hold in their sobs.

_ It can’t be real. It’s  _ not _ real. It’s  _ not _ real, it’s not real, it’s not real! Not! Real! _ their mind screamed.  _ It’s not real! Please! Someone tell me it’s not real! _

“Please...”

They barely realized they had spoken. The broken whimper died down with their screaming. Yet their tears refused to stop.

“P-please...”

Their voice cracked.

“C-come... Come b-back!” they wailed. “Please! Don’t l-leave me!”

“Pl-lease... Mama... Do─don’t go...” Sobs punctured their slurred words. “Please...”

They could barely choke the words out past the lump in their throat.

“Please...”

Their heart splintered to pieces.

XXXXXX

He didn’t know.

Didn’t know Frisk cared so much.

Didn’t know Toriel became their mother in heart and soul.

The last time Flowey checked, they  _ feared _ her. So much so they ran away from her.  _ Twice _ .

But now... Now, they called her “Mama”, something that he himself had once called the woman. The same woman who was now reduced to nothing but dust in the wind.

When had Frisk cared so much for her? When had they become so... close? Sure, he saw them reading books together, but that wouldn’t have been enough for them to build up  _ this _ strong of a relationship. So, how...?

His eyes lingered on the shivering child, their sobs still wracking their body. They looked so pitiful and weak. So lost and broken-hearted. So...  _ crushed _ .

Then, his gaze wandered over to the pile of dust before them. It was the same dust that once made up Toriel. The same dust that made up every monster in the Underground. And yet... this one was different. It still crackled with faint flickers of fire. The dying embers of a mother’s love.

With a heavy heart, he realized the only way to right this wrong would be to bring Toriel back. And, to do  _ that _ , Frisk had to... die.

As much as Flowey  _ hated _ having to restart like this... he knew better than to let Frisk suffer through such a cruel reality. He didn’t doubt they’d lost all Determination to go on. After such a harsh blow to the heart and mind, he doubted he himself would be able to get up after something like this.

“Frisk...” he muttered, preparing himself for what he was about to do next.

The human raised their head up so they could look at him from under their dark bangs.

Flowey closed his eyes for a moment, fighting back the tears that started to prick at the edges of his eyes. “...I’m... I’m sorry.”

With a loud crack, their soul shattered.


	6. An Announcement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note

Hey, guys!

Sorry about the lack of updates. There's a lot that's been going on and I haven't had much time to work on my fanfic as I'd like to, so I'm going to announce an indeterminate hiatus.

I don't know how long this hiatus will last, but I'm planning on finishing this fanfic sometime.

Thank you all for your patience and for your understanding. And I sincerely thank you for supporting me in this little project of mine, both in this rewritten version and in my original. I wish you all the best and maybe, one day, I'll be able to come back to this story and finally finish it, like I've always meant to.

Once again, thank you.

Yours truly,

Szaroburekotki


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